Spain – Jordi Jou Ventulá has been named 2015 Coach of the Year by the Spanish Swimming Coaches Association, Asociación Española de Técnicos de Natación (AETN).
When choosing who will be the recipient of this prestigious award, many factors were taken into account, including the results from the most important competitions of the season; the results of a training group or club team; and achievements, records, and special occasions. In the opinion of the AETN, Jou Ventulá was the best fit on the basis of these factors, and so he was awarded the Coach of the Year award – the Alejandro López trophy.
Jou Ventulá has coached many great swimmers, including World Champion Bronze medalist and 200 backstroke national record holder Jessica Valls. Receiving the Bronze medal at the World Championships in Kazan was her greatest accomplishment, showing a year of hard work under Ventulá. He also worked with África Zamorano, who claimed the title as Junior World medalist in Singapore.
AETN also awarded an Age Group Coach of the Year, which went to Santiago Veiga Fernández. When considering a recipient for this award, factors like the results of nation and international competitions for juniors, or younger categories of swimmers, were taken into account and Fernández earned top marks. Included among hist raining group is Hugo Gonzáles, who recently became the 200 Backstroke Junior World Champion.
The Career Award went to José Luis Guadalupe Hernández, who has shown a longstanding career in the world of swimming in any of its forms and who has achieved merits based on the results of theirs athletes. He coaches primarily athletes with disabilities who have won many awards at the national, regional, and provisional international level.
The Best Magazine Article of 2014 was awarded to Antonio Oca Gaía. His article that won him the award was the Adaption as a Condition of Long-Term Training in Swimming (NSW no.2- 2014).
Two little corrections- the swimmer’s name is Jessica Vall (without the final ‘s’) and she is a breaststroke specialist. Zamorano swims backstroke. Thanks 🙂